Madoka Magica

I'm sooo happy right nowShaft has to be one of my favourite anime studios just because they made the Monogatari Series. I love that anime to pieces; from the extremely witty dialogue to the contrasting colour art style. The studio is coming up to it...

Having the flu is suffering! Thankfully, the wise old wizards at gonoturn have made the perfect tool to help protect yourself from the terror of germs: half of Kyubey's face. Yes, the creepy cutie from Madoka Magica can affix...

Are you getting Madoka withdrawal symptoms? Want something to cure that itch? Well, assuming you've got some money to play with, you could consider putting in a pre-order for the Japanese release of the third movie, Pue...

Dec 13 //
Tim Sheehy
Aniplex held the US premiere at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood -- an older venue built back in the 1920s. The theater features a large auditorium capable of seating over 600 people, and they seemed to do a pretty good job of filling it. Before the film, there were some lines that almost streched around the building. They also had some limited edition Madoka Magica merchandise on hand, though the lines for that also seemed lengthy. Fans who had purchased admission to the premiere were also given a gift bag and while I'd love to discuss the contents, my press credentials apparently didn't entitle me to one. Too bad, so sad, I guess. I also had to purchase my own snacks -- total deal breaker, am I right? I suppose I can't complain too much; I did have one of the best seats in the house.
Once we were seated, they treated us to a trailer for the Madoka Magica fone app, which was good news for anyone hoping they'd bring that over to the states, as well as a brief introduction to the film by some of the Japanese seiyuu. Fun fact -- I actually had the American voice actors sitting directly in front of me the whole time, so that was kind of interesting. They were basically whispering to each other the whole time, but not loud enough to distract anyone, so at least they were really polite about it.
Alright, so down to business -- I'm going to do my best not to spoil anything and to just give a general impression. We'll provide a full review, along with an appropriate score, once the film is released for home video. The film starts off much like the series, though given the events of the previous films, it should be obvious that nothing is quite what it seems. To top that off, all five -- that's right, count 'em -- magical girls, Madoka included, happen to be present. None of them seem to realize anything is wrong, until Homura slowly begins to piece things together.However, therein lies the very first gripe I have with the film: if you're not familiar with the series (or the previous films), you're going to be completely lost. They don't bother stopping to explain a single thing. So, in order to properly enjoy this film, you'll need to be a fan, or have at least sat through the recaps. You can also expect to miss out on the in-jokes, of which there are plenty sprinkled throughout the film.So, with the feature clocking in at roughly over two hours, the first half focuses on Homura's attempt to unravel the mystery of how this specific reality, or timeline, came to be. She questions each of the girls in turn, which leads to a pretty violent stand-off with Mami -- in fact, many might consider that the true highlight of the film. Eventually the truth about the world reveals itself, and though it might not be so shocking, it becomes a major turning point. I think, had they decided to end the film there, it would have made for an excellent cliffhanger. In fact, it would've also given us a sense of closure, having solved the key mystery plaguing the first half of the film.
At this point the plot becomes incredibly convoluted and while some fans might already be used to that, everyone has to deal with the fact that most of what occurs is communicated through constant exposition. If you don't have your wits about you, you'll probably miss something important. It also becomes incredibly hard not to spoil anything. We're presented with plot-twist upon plot-twist similar to The Matrix, or Inception. Perhaps even worse, everything feels very rushed, as if they tried to cram everything into this final portion of the film, only to culminate in an ending that feels all-to-abrupt -- like the middle of a five-act play. There's simply no closure to be had.
When asked about this following the film, Shaft president Mitsutoshi Kubota claimed that this was by design -- to allow you to decide if the ending was a happy ending or a tragedy. In reality, it seemed more like a cop out for what I could only describe as not just ambiguous, but confusing. If this truly is the end of the story (and considering they originally planned this as the third part of a trilogy), then you have to question why they'd end the film in such a manner. Perhaps they'll present us with a real ending at a later date.
For all its problems, I can't deny that the film is something to marvel at. Rebellion is visually breathtaking and will leave you stunned in your seat, but in terms of plot and pacing, it suffers greatly. It's as if Shaft tried to do too much, and simply couldn't edit itself. I should also note that the film was submitted to the Academy Awards and, though the film perhaps deserves a nod, it would be difficult to top something as well put together as Miyazki's The Wind Rises. Did any of you also catch a screening? I'd be interested to hear what our community thinks.

The final film in the Madoka trilogy...Last week, fans finally had an opportunity to attend screenings of Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion, the third and final chapter of the trilogy. Given the ending of the previous film -- or the series itself, see...

Are you ready for the latest hot drop in the world of menswear? You'd better call up your dealer in Japan, because Cospa is about to drop this Madoka Magica needlepoint sweater and workshirt combo that will make Yeezy jealous...

The third and final Madoka film hit theaters this past weekend and surprise, surprise, it did very well! It looks like tons of fans lined up to catch Madoka Magica: The Rebellion Story in theaters, giving it a healthy opening...

Soon Japanese gamers will be able to get their Madoka fix on the go! A new trailer has been released for the upcoming Playstation Vita game, Madoka Magica: The Battle Pentagram. This isn't a regular pentagram, you fools, thi...

Some of you might not be aware of this, but Madoka Magica The Movie -Rebellion- hits Japanese theaters on Saturday. It's hard to believe that we finally seem to be reaching the end of this long, dark magical girl journey.&nb...

Want to confess your love to a lady and let her know you love magical girls? No? Well, for the few that did say yes, a set of Madoka and Sailor Moon chocolates are up for order on the Premium Bandai store front. Coming in at&...

So you're all set for the final Madoka Magica film, -Rebellion-, right? You've picked up your tickets and have planned your road trip to the theater (because it's that one theater that's kind of close to you but a little out...

Looks like the third Puella Magi Madoka Magica film in Japan will get something extra! SHAFT has announced they'll be releasing four Madoka Magica x Monogatari shorts that will air prior to the movie encouraging courtesy and ...

[Update: It turns out that Famitsu made an error in their coverage about Battle Pentagram, and the game is actually going to be for the Vita instead. Also, some new scans have been added.]
Madoka Magica The Movie III: Rebelli...

It looks like I missed Kyubey's memo earlier during the day, but that doesn't mean that this is going to be huge! So what's this big event that's been getting me intrigued? Well, Madoka Magica the Movie III: Rebellion will be...

Well what do you know, Yen Press has pulled an interesting wild card at the first Japan Expo USA, and it's another beacon of hope for people that wish to see more light novels in North America! To those that have been wishing...

If you weren't able to understand the dialogue during the last trailer for Madoka Magica The Movie -Rebellion-, Aniplex USA has uploaded the current trailer with English subtitles. While it gives us a chance to rea...

Kyubey has made his verdict at Japan Expo 2013, and Madoka Magica the Movie III: Rebellion will be shown in the United States, Canada, and France! In other words, you can thank good old Sal for offering his soul to Kyubey to ...

The magical climax that we've been waiting for is transforming again, and Mezamashi Terebi has taken a step into Shaft's studio to scope out the latest stuff about Madoka Magica the Movie Part III: Rebellion! During the segm...

Well, that was a bit embarrassing (not on my behalf), because Smart, the magazine that revealed the summer premiere for Madoka Magica's third movie, has made a huge miscalculation in their post. Thanks to a report b...

Oh snap, the contract express is still on course, and the people of Sandy, Utah are next on the list of places that will be showing the first two Madoka movies. Will this be the last that we hear from Kyubey's collaborat...

As Kyubey's massive contract spree comes to a close, a new listing appears in the form of the ultimate closure for becoming a Puella Magi. In accordance to this new piece of information, the final part of the Madoka Magica mo...

Making Puella Magis is some serious business, and Aniplex's contract has yet to diminish. Kyubey is lucky that he's not a gray rabbit, because his next destination is one that most underground travelers tend to miss. Thanks t...

Dec 27 //
Kristina PinoFifth place: Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online is one of those anime that I didn't expect to get too popular, but it sort of did, and now figure companies are churning out merchandise like nobody's business. Asuna and Kirito are all the buzz recently, and Kirito especially is lucky to be one of the few, the proud male Nendoroids to stand alongside their leading female counterparts.
SAO barely made it into this list, but only because even while the show was airing, the merchandise made it all the way up to a scaled figure iteration of Asuna.
Fourth place: Dog Days
The basic way to gauge whether a show is popular in the world of figures is to see if the main female character has been iterated as a Nendoroid, figma, and a scaled figure. The way you know that a show transcends basic popularity is if more than one character from the same anime gets figure status, garage kits, and more.
Dog Days, though completely off my radar as an anime, has been getting some figure love this year in the way of some truly adorable Millhiores, Leonmitchellis, and more. Besides regular figures, the characters are even seeing official doll releases! And they're all absolutely adorable.
Third place: Evangelion 3.0
You know that saying, friends come and go, but Evangelion is forever? That's kind of the story of figure collecting, right up there with endless iterations of Hatsune Miku merchandise.
With the popularity of the most recent Evangelion animation we've seen all kinds of merchandise, ranging from old or alternate out-of-character designs to new characters, which obviously include Asuka and Rei, but now also Makinami Mari and Kaworu. There are even Evangelion-themed rocking horses for toddlers. The possibilities are endless.
Second place: Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai
Whether you're a fan of Haganai or not, it looks like enough people loved it enough to support several Nendoroid releases of the characters. Now most of the cast has made it to swimsuit figure status while Sena and Yozora enjoy figures by no less than seven different manufacturers.
As if that weren't enough, now you can get all kinds of merchandise: iPhone covers, key chains, file folders, albums, plushies, and much more. Yozora and Sena are a hit.
First place: Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Do I really need to explain myself with this one? With the immense popularity of the anime, Madoka has inspired several different figures for all of the main girls, and even figure extension kits of the various little spirits, along with plenty of Kyubei plushies and more. The Nendoroid and figma iterations have all had multiple releases and the demand is still there for more.
And that isn't even the start of it.
This concludes my quick list! Do you agree with it, or think I left something out? Be sure to agree or disagree with me in the comments in the most articulate way possible!

Which anime ruled the sales?While all my fellow Japanator writers are busy picking and choosing the best anime, music, and games of the year, I'll be bringing in a look at which anime inspired the most merchandise based on what I've seen in the way of f...

[Update: Washington, DC is becoming the capital of contracts, because the Madoka movies are going to be shown there as well.]
Watch out, January. You have nowhere to go, because Kyubey is eating up your days with his precious...

I am proud of you, Aniplex, because you guys are putting the effort in going all out for the Madoka Magica double feature. And best of all, you are exceeding my expectations for your deadly contract spree.&nbsp...

Congratulations, lucky people of Portland, because you are all going to get your contracts soon. As you become part of the Madoka movie showings, Aniplex is one step closer towards making December the month of ...

[Update: Aniplex USA has revealed that the Madoka showings are returning to LA.]
Madoka Magica USA has not given up on those contracts, because three more cities are getting a visit from Kyubey. To an extent, it's l...

I think that Kyubey is watching us, because the people that are close to Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, and Columbus are getting blessed with the opportunity to become Puella Magis. However, the Fort Lauderdale showing is on a Sat...

[Update: Madoka USA confirms that Seattle is getting more showings. Indianapolis, Philadelphia, and Tampa are also jumping on the contract express.]
Are you sad that Kyubey did not reach out to you? Well, there...

Oct 22 //
Jeff ChuangPuella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Part 1 Beginnings / Part 2 EternalStudio: SHAFTLicensed by: Aniplex USARelease date: October 19, 2012 (Theatrical, US)
It's hard to talk about the two films without getting into spoiler territory. Actually, if this is your first entry into Madoka, the TV series review from Brad is a great gateway. The (first) two movies are essentially a giant recap, featuring mostly the same animation as the TV series. To that end, here are my two cents, plus what happened in the NYC screening. Feel free to jump to the next set of bold text after the image if you want to skip the spoilers and get into some technical differences between the TV series and the movies.
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If the primary emotional complex within Madoka is the Faustian relationship between Kyubey and its charges, what (screenwriter) Urobuchi's and (director) Shinbo's Madoka excels at is framing the deal not so much on the fact that QB is a deceptive bastard, but what people thought of as Magical Girls may vary from what they are in reality. The thing is, magical girls don't exist in reality, they are some kind of anime or manga "thing." Can we make the parallel between that and, in a nutshell, Madoka's mother?
The more I think about it, the more I realize Madoka and her mother makes the key relationship here. In a way Mom is the tenuous link between your generic magical family for your generic magical girl and some notion that Madoka has a message for viewers like us. Does Madoka want to grow up into a woman like her mother? I think so. There's admiration going on for sure, and it's partly what makes that relationship charming. As repeatedly mentioned by Urobuchi, Madoka Magica has a positive message. I think this message ultimately is that as long as you live like Madoka, it'll all work out. Even if you might not end up being a career woman or the person who wears the pants in the relationship. As long as you're like Madoka, a good girl through and through, a relatively happy end awaits.
Homura's initial warning to Madoka in the first episode--the opening minutes of the first movie--rings much louder when you watch both films back-to-back. Who is the most precious? How do you protect them? As ideals go, it works fine (as it did in innumerable anime and manga with the same exact theme). But rather than as a warning that Homura intended, when empowered by the uncanny ability to make rational decisions, Madoka breaks the devil's game by, well, breaking the game. Throughout the story, we see how Madoka consistently make good decisions, despite that she might come off as a child, or hesitates a lot, or changes her mind, or is a clutz, or stays out late at night, chasing witches with her magical girlfriends.
But isn't that the message? Even if you signed on a dotted line to life's unavoidably crappy contracts, you can still be okay if you do it "the right way." That's what makes Madoka a good girl. In addition, Madoka also models those desirable character traits like valiance, honesty and wisdom. That has always been the primary message of magical girls anime since times of old. It adds meaning when Kyubey's true name was realized in light of the role models we see in magical girls shows.
In a deeper, darker part of my mind, I'm thinking "Madoka is a story written for the Lost Generation of Japan, for those are irritated about the promises of life's securities by living according to the rules of society, but subtly betrayed by the same." That's how I arrived at Madoka's mother's angle. It's like how we idolize (especially otaku) the notion of magical girls, which turns out to be a lie. Well, is it a lie? Or do we just want to fool ourselves? Is society's worship of success the same thing? Maybe Urobuchi could've gone further to break Madoka down. Maybe we can see how much worse than death Madoka's fate was, rather than just people saying how it was, or having a tearful performance from Yuko Goto (voice actress for Madoka's mother), trying to play on your heartstrings just that much more so. Maybe in Urobuchi's world, ideals are the worst things. That's why Madoka became an ideal.
At the first NYC showing of the Madoka movies on Oct. 20, 2012, the Autumn skies were kind for locals and visitors alike. Fair weather and no rain made the life of some tourists easier, and the drive for me up to where a bunch of us carpooled in was almost scenic. At the theater, I spotted an Aniplex guy there (in an Aniplex t-shirt) and who I found out later on asked people for interviews, with posters in exchange. The theater was basically full, a handful of cosplayers adorned the theater as fans filed in probably an hour before screen time. I got there about 40 minutes before and most of the seats were filled already.
It was a late showing, starting at 9:30PM and ran to close to 2AM. There was no intermission in between part 1 and part 2, and to be honest I'm glad that we got the subtitled movies back-to-back, as it was getting late. The screening was clearly a digital projection, and it looked great despite a couple technical snafu from the (presumably) projectionist. Hearing Magia and the two new Kalafina-backed insert songs on super-loud speakers was a treat. The movies featured also a new OP sequence, most famously for the snuggling scene between Homura and Madoka, along with the new ClariS single. Mami's first Tiro Finale sequence is now twice as awesome, thanks to the new Kalafina backing track.
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If I had to describe the two movies with just one word, "solid" would be it. It featured some of the best from the TV series and polished what wasn't already redone in the home video release. There's very little room to nitpick unless you are the most ardent fan. I talked to two viewers who were seeing the Madoka story for the first time at the show, and they were pretty happy with what they saw after the film. The 4-hour presentation was full of plot details, transformation scenes, battle sequences and cute girls doing cute things. There was a lot to take in, even if we had four hours to do so. What's more, the movies embellished on certain details and visuals, such as adding full transformation sequences for all five girls.
Some might have said that Homura gets the big break in the movie. While true to some extent compared to the TV series, Madoka is still the main character. Homura's outstanding backstory episode became an exclamation mark in the second movie; brief but poignant. It ended just like the TV series--with the revised version of the original opening sequence. And in the movie format it is especially unusual, perhaps all the more fitting for an unusual protagonist.
The final, after-credit sequence and teaser for the third Madoka movie was probably more hyped up than it really is, especially since it didn't reveal anything shocking. It's definitely something for die-hard fans to look forward to, but it isn't anything special.
Perhaps the most important thing to note, though, is that the screening was preceded by a short clip from the six Japanese voice actresses for the show, introducing the movie version of Madoka Magica to us. It's quite interesting and makes this screen all the more special. I don't think having special merchandise would help much more, but yeah, only those in LA get lucky with the ability to score some limited edition goods (like that really nice Aoki Ume shikishi or the region-specific movie posters).
The NYC showing was a little bit special because it sold out within a day, prompting the addition of screenings for Sunday night and Monday night. It's also the home of the Statue of Liberty, featured on the Madoka movie poster for the USA. I didn't keep tabs on the other US screenings, but I imagined the turnout to be solid. It's definitely worth it if you are a fan, or you just enjoy solid theatrical animation.
9.0 – Exceptional. One of the best things its genre has ever produced.

Sure it's recap, but it's worth itHaving watched Madoka the movie, as someone who followed the TV series back in 2011, can I just say that it's basically the resonance of the Faustian deal as depicted by an ideal, that makes Madoka Magica's mark in ...

Anthony RedgraveI'm very interested going forward reading the Vertical Bakemonogatari light novels having seen the anime first i.e. the reverse of what I did with Kizumonogatari. Would I think the novels are too bland without the superb animation/ direction of the anime?Anthony RedgraveKizumonogatari films 1+2 are technically marvellous and brilliant adaptation of the highlights from the source material. Despite the Monogatari origins it is not beginner friendly. A lot of Monogatari staples are omitted/muted and has more horror elementsGarage HeroGarage Hero is an independent movie group based in Tokyo, Japan that specializes in (but not limited to) the Tokusatsu genre of Japanese Cinema. Follow us on Twitter (@garagepro7) and Facebook!albasIt seems like Qpost isn't as well integrated as it is in dtoid. Shame this place isn't more active but I still love all of you. DeScruff SypranHello I guess I'm new. I came in because of the Va-11 Hall-A stream last night.
When I get back home I'll explore this site a bit!animenekogirlHi I'm new and well I love anime...kevinperdueSometimes it just hard waiting for the pre-order. You know? But then there is other anime :).Red VeronHey, readers! I love you<3Rin HarukaOh my gosh i just finished clannad after story for the second time and i need at least 5 more tissue boxes sniff sniff Hiroko YamamurahikevinperdueYeah! I ordered three things all at different times and they all came in at the same time. Thanks name withheld ordering company!Salvador G RodilesSince my condition hasn't improved that much from yesterday, my Jtor Live segment won't be happening tonight. If anything, it should be back this Saturday.Salvador G RodilesSince I'm feeling under the weather right now (curse you, spring season), this week's Jtor Live shall be pushed to Sunday.Anthony RedgraveHearts over Hanekawa! <3Salvador G RodilesAs a heads-up, this week's Jtor Live is being pushed back to Sunday. Anthony RedgraveSomeone's got a new desktop background :DAnthony RedgraveI don't know what this is, but it's tres Adorbs!OverlordZettaI am choosing to believe Umaru randomly decided to make this reference and no one can stop me.Anthony RedgraveJust going to leave this hereAnthony Redgrave"In the name of the moon I will punish you!" with a posed look